Good friends, Good convos

Today was a good day. Church at the Orchard is always so refreshing and wonderful.

I was able to have some good conversations with people throughout my day. My friend Clint called me this afternoon and we encouraged each other a lot. It is so good to have brothers in Christ. God has placed some of the best brothers I could ever have in my life. Seriously. I have had the best. :) They have helped me so much and I have grown so much closer to God by their influence. Another brother of mine, Matthew, we went to Houston tonight to play music for my old youth group. (There are some great kids in Houston, Ms at FUMC...just saying).

Anyways, we talked about life as usual, but the question that kept popping in to my mind was "how do people deal with the world without Jesus?" I can not imagine going through some of my downfalls without having Jesus to lift me up, you know? Or how do people celebrate this life with joy and not have that joy found in Christ? This made me so grateful to know that I have tasted and seen the goodness of God during times when goodness was no where to be found. I have seen the Lord work through the ugliness of Satan by turning ashes into beauty. My God can do that. My God can take a situation that was so hurtful and wrong; where there was so much injustice done to an indvidual, and He can create hope, peace, and comfort. We talked about the sin we commit doesn't just effect ourself, but others as well. My God is the Lord of the wronged.

"There's room for your tears, sister don't be ashamed. The maker of your soul shares your sorrows. So sing even if its a sad, sad song. He's the brother to the broken. He's the Lord of the wronged."

That is so encouraging to me. I just can not imagine walking this world alone. I can not imagine trying to find hope and satisfaction with my life by depending on other people. People are full of sin. There is no way they can give us what we need. I can not imagine turning to just individuals for comfort and love and not knowing the love of my Father. There is a Shawn McDonal song that says:

"Have you ever wanted to be someone else?
Have you ever wanted just to be someone?
Have you ever wanted to reach your dreams?
Have you ever wanted life to be more than it seems?

I have tasted of a love so wide
That it stops all my time
I have tasted of a love so deep
That it blows my mind

Have you ever wanted to reach up and touch the sky?
Have you ever wanted to pack it up and say good-bye?
Have you ever wanted someone to care?
Have you ever wanted someone to be there?

He is sweet, He is sweet
What your looking for
Is my sweet, sweet Jesus
What You're looking for
Is my sweet Lord

People are looking for answers and love from all the wrong things: money, relationships, material possessions, when the one thing that is right in front of them looks to hard to reach or maybe they don't feel worthy enough? I love that my God takes me as I am because I know I will never be "good enough"...

"Come all you weary and find rest. For I am gentle, learn from me. I do not love like the world so take heart."--Jesus